00:02Damien Eade runs a cafe in Georgetown and says the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Liberty Bell Bay has taken a toll
00:12on the local community.
00:14It's been a scary process for the last few months, the lack of knowledge or where it's going.
00:22But Monday's announcement that the manganese smelter has been placed in voluntary administration has delivered new hope.
00:30At least this gives a bit more clarity going forward and hopefully a positive outcome comes from all this.
00:36The business is now in the hands of Administrator Ernst & Young which is trying to find a new buyer
00:41to resume operations at the facility.
00:44The local mayor says more than 200 jobs are at stake.
00:47For our community and for the economy of the north, having that facility remain operable I think is very much
00:54in our interests.
00:55The smelter has been in care and maintenance mode since May last year.
01:00Despite a $20 million loan from the state government for a shipment of ore that was never used.
01:06The industry minister is confident Tasmanian taxpayers won't have to bear the cost.
01:11Liberty Bell Bay is Australia's only manganese smelter.
01:14Its product is essential for steel making.
01:17Stakeholders say it's in the national interest for the facility to resume full production.
01:22It's really, really important that both the federal and state governments do everything they can to make sure that we
01:27keep this sovereign capability in Tasmania.
01:30A community hoping for a more certain future.
01:33I'll come back to you.
01:34I've got my feasibility plan.
01:34We've got to sell the values of the Main Doors अ ηес ket
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